Pakistan to arm JF-17 with Chinese missiles

Pakistan has confirmed it will buy Chinese missiles and flightsystems to equip its 250 JF-17 Thunder jet fighters as it seeks todeepen military cooperation with Beijing, state media said Thursday.

Rao Qamar Suleman, Air Chief Marshal of the Pakistan Air Force, toldthe Global Times newspaper Chinese radar systems and SD-10 mid-rangehoming missiles would be used on the fighters co-developed by the twonations.

“PAF has no plans to install Western devices and weapons on theaircraft for the time being,” the newspaper quoted Suleman as saying.

Pakistan may also buy up to four Chinese surface-to-air missiles, asit seeks stronger cooperation with China to help upgrade its armedforces, Suleman told the China Daily in a separate interview.

He made the remarks on the sidelines of the annual Zhuhai Air Show now under way in southern China.

Chinese defence experts played down the comments, saying anycooperation did not target any country and did not compare with dealsadopted during a visit to India this month by US President BarackObama, the China Daily said.

Pakistan had initially planned on arming its JF-17 fighters withmissiles made by French firm Thales SA in a deal reportedly worth 1.2billion euros (1.6 billion dollars).

But French officials confirmed to AFP in April the deal had been puton hold without explanation. The French daily Le Monde reported that itwas cancelled to avoid damaging relations with Pakistan’s nuclear rivalIndia.

China is a strong ally of Pakistan and Islamabad draws heavily on Beijing for its defence and infrastructure needs.

Pakistan’s air force has a fleet of Chinese aircraft, includingF-7PGs and A-5s, but also US-built F-16s and French Mirages. Themedium-tech JF-17 or Thunder jets, manufactured jointly with China, area recent addition.

Pakistan may also buy up to four Chinese surface-to-air missiles HQ-18, as itseeks stronger cooperation with China to help upgrade its armed forces,Mr Suleman told the China Daily in a separate interview.